Racking-machine.



J. G. BIENIEK. RAGKING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

1,098,659, Patented June 2, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Mir/M55556 WVi/VTOF C(JLU H M NonRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. it.

J. G. BIENIEK.

BACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

1,098,659, Patented June 2, 1914.

4 SHEETS$HEET 2.

77.455559; I 5' hum r0 772% AM fir ATTQR/VI) COLUMBIA PLANonnAPH 60-. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. G. BIENIEK.

BACKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

' 1,098,659, Patented June 2,1914.

ATTOA'A/A') J. G. BIENIEK.

\ BACKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILED SEPT. 11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JOHN G. IBIENIEK, or cnrcneo, ILLINOIS.

BACKING-MACHINE.-

Application filed September 11, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914. Serial No. 648,645.

line 2l-21 of Fig. 13 showing the filling in- To elite/ 1.0 122 it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN G. BIENIEK, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Racking-lvlachines, of which the following is a complete specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved racking machine; to provide a racking machine in which the filling apparatus may be readily brought into and out of operative position with respect to the barrel to be filled; to provide a rack 111g machine having means for automatically operating the filling valve; to provide a racking machine having improved mecha nism for indicating that the barrel is filled; to provide a racking machine having improved means for firmly holding the filling apparatus in operative position; and to provide a strong, simple and easily operable device adapted to fill beer barrels with great rapidity.

A. specific embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a racking machine embodied in this invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of the pressure controlling valve. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the pressure controlling valve. Fig. 6 is a section taken on line fi-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1 with parts omitted. Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10is a plan view of one set of the brake mechanisms for the filling apparatus. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of said brake mechanism. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation of one of the brake lever actuating rods. Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the filling head or block. Fig. 14 is a section taken on line 1.4l-14l of Fig. '13. Fig. 15 is a section taken on line 1515 of F 14:. Fig. 16 is an enlarged, fragmentary horizontal section of the filling head showing the filling valve. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the actuating gland for the operating blade or device for the filling valve. Fig. 18 is a vertical section of said gland. Fig. 19.is a side elevation of the inlet sleeve for the filling head. Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the outlet sleeve for the filling head. Fig. 21 is a section taken on dicator for the barrel in side elevation. Fig. 22 is a vertical section of the filling indicator. Fig. 23 is a side elevation of the frame for said indicator. Fig. 2 1 is a side elevation of the valve sleeve for said indicator.

I11 the construction shown, a main frame, having a base 1 and end standards 2 and 3, affords a support for the beer, tank 4 at a suitable height, and all of which may be of any suitable construction and material. The frame is provided at its top with a front piece or bar 5, 011 which are for wardly projecting lugs or arms 6 having ball seats therein. The frame 7 for the filling apparatus is preferably rectangular in shape and hasa top memberS, a bottom member 9, and end members 10 and 11. On the back of the frame 7 near the top there'- of, is a bar 12 to which is secured a rearwardly projecting ball 13 which seats be tween the lugs 6 and together therewith pro-I vides a ball and socket joint from which the filling frame is pivotally suspended to permit it to be turned to various angles to insure the filling apparatus seating squarely on the barrel. Slidably mounted in the top and bottom members 8 and 9 of thefilling frame are the supporting rods 147-1 1 for the filling head or block 15 which is rigidly secured to the lower ends of said rods (see Fig. 1.).

The filling head is provided on its top with an externally threaded boss 16 and'on its bottom with an internally threadedboss l7, and is provided with a vertical aperture or passage 18. opening through said bosses. Secured in the boss 17 and depending below the same is the outlet sleeve 19 for the beer after the barrel. is filled (Fig. 141). A bushing or packing 20 surrounds the lower end of said sleeve 19 and is adapted to fit in the bung hole of the barrel and form a tight joint therewith when the filling head is in operative position on the barrel.

Rigidly secured at its upper end in the passage 18 is the inlet sleeve 21, the external diameter of which is less than the internal diameter of the sleeve 19. Said inlet sleeve is adapted to project into the barrel 22 when the filling head is in place, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. Projecting rearwardly from the filling head 15 is anapertured boss 23, (Fig. 15) having a conical valve seat 24 at its Inner end from which passages 25 lead to the passage 18 above the sleeve 21. \Vithin said boss is a ball valve 26 having a stem 27 projecting into the passage 18. A spring 28 bears against the valve 26 and against a flange 29 in the boss and normally acts to hold the valve in closed posison; A pipe 30 having a valve31 therein,

=leads from the tank 4 and is connected to the boss A supply pipe 32, for the tank 4, leads from the beer vats, not shown, to the tank, .and is provided with a valve 33 (Fig. 3).

For the purpose of automatically opening the valve 26 when the head 15 is seated on the barrel, and for closing the valve when the barrel is filled and before the removal of said head, a cylinder 34 is mounted on the top of the frame 7 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the piston therein is provided with a piston rod 35 which extends downwardly through a bar 36 rigidly secured to the guide rods 14, and a bar 37 which is slidably mounted on said rods is attached to said piston rod 35 at the lower end thereof. A nut 38 is carried on the piston rod and bears against the 'top of the bar 37, and rotatively mounted on the piston rod beneath said bar 37 is the coupling 39. Said nut and coupling cause the bar 37 to travel with the piston rod. The coupling 39 is flattened on two opposite sides to fit into an elongated aperture '40 in the bottom member 9 of the filling frame 7 when the piston rod is at the lower limit of its movement. Rigidly secured in said coupling and extending downwardly therefrom through the filling head is the spiral bladeor valve operator 41, which when in operative position bears with one edge against the stem 27 of the valve 26 and holds said valve in open position, as shown more clearly in Figs. 14, 15, and 16. For the purpose of rotating said blade into and out of operative position an actuating gland 42 (Fig. 14) is mounted in the boss 16 and is provided with an elongated slot 43 through which the blade passes. Beneath said gland is a packing 44 and a follower or nut 45 is screwed on the boss 16 and bears on said gland with suflicient force normally to hold the gland from rotation but to permit it to rotate slightly when the blade is held from rotation by reason of the coupling 39 being iirthe aperture 40.

Mou'n'ted on the end member 11 of the frame 7 is the controlling valve 46 of the same construction as that shown in my copen'ding application for patent on valve, filed July '5, 1911 Serial No. 636,946.

Amain pressure pipe 47 leads from any suitable source of air pressure and a pipe 48 leads therefrom andfopens into the top of the beer cylinder 41o exert air pressure 61; 'Ehfi the ig.

fi ii l 49 l:eatlsfi"o1n the ";'ipe 47 arid is ebunected with the port 50 6f the valve A pipe 51 leads from the port 52 of said valve 46 and opens into the top of the cylinder 34 to admit pressure to force the piston clownwardly. A pipe 53 leads from the port 54 of the valve 46 and opens into the bottom of the cylinder to admit pressure to raise the piston. An exhaust port 55 opens from the valve 46 in the same plane as the ports 50, 52, and 54, (Figs. 5 and 6) and the rotative valve closure 56 has transverse passages 57 and 58 therein adapted to be brought into register with said ports. The valve closure has also a passage 59 which connects with a passage 59 which, when the parts are in the position of Fig. 6, registers with a port 60 in the valve 46. A flexible pipe 61 leads from the top of the tank 4 and connects with the upper end of the passage 59.

The filling head 15 is provided with a lat erally directed arm 62 through which extends a passage 63 opening from the space between the sleeves 21 and 19 (Fig. 14). On the outer end of said arm and opening therefrom is an upwardly directed sleeve 64 having a flange 65. A cup nut 66 is mounted on said sleeve and extends above the flange. An indicator frame or skeleton 67 has threaded engagement in said nut, and a globe 68 of glassor other transparent material is carried in said skeleton and rests on said flange. On the top of the skeleton 67 is an apertured boss 69 with which a pipe section 70 is connected. Telescopingly connected with the pipe section 70 is a pipe section 71 which is connected with the port 60 of the valve 46 (Fig. 22).

The sleeve 64 extends up into the globe 68 and is provided with small apertures 72. On the top of the sleeve, above said apertures, in an inverted cup shaped hood or deflector 73, and a ball valve 74 is adapted to seat on the top of the sleeve and close the same when beer is not flowing upward through the indicator.

For the purpose of holding the filling head 15 firmly on the barrel during the filling operation. the supporting rods 14 are provided with coarse screw threads or worms 75 at their upper ends, and journaled on the frame member 8 in position for said rods to pass therethrough are friction wheels 76, having pins 77 adapted to travel in said threads. At one side of each friction wheel is pivoted a friction lever 78 adapted to bear at one end against the wheel and hold it from rotation. A spring 79 is connected to the other end of said lever and to a pin 80 on the member 8 and acts to hold the lever in engagement with the wheel. Actuating rods 81 arecarried on the bar 36 and extend upwardlythrough the member 8 beneath the ends of the levers 78 to which the springs are attached. The upper end 82 of each rod :1 is beve ed as sho n re ly .11 F is- 12, so that when the rod is at the lower time of its movement it will permit the lever to contact with the wheel 76, but as the rod begins to rise the beveled portion will swing the lever slightly to bring it out of contact with said wheel, and the rod will hold it out of contact until the rod is again lowered.

Carried on the bar 36 and extending downwardly therefrom are the spring clamps 83 adapted, when the piston rod 35 has been raised sufficiently to bring the blade ll out of contact with the valve stem 27, to grip the bar 37 which is caused to move up wardly, Fig. 1, and bear against the bottom of the bar 36 which is bolted or riveted to rods 14; hence, the upward movement of the piston rod 35 beyond a certain distance will elevate the rods 14 and the parts secured thereto.

The operation of the construction shown is as follows: The beer tank l is preferably maintained about three fourths full of beer, and the air from pipe 47 passes through pipe 48 and exerts pressure on the beer. When the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the filling valve 26 is held open by the blade 41 and beer flows from the tank to the barrel. While the beer is entering the barrel the air in the barrel can escape through arm 62, pipe sections 70 and 71, ports and 59 of the valve 46, and pipe 61 to the tank. I11 this position of the valve 46, pressure passes through pipe 49, through the ports 50 and 52 of the valve, and through pipe 51 to the upper end of the cylinder 34 to hold the filling apparatus on the barrel. lVhen the filling head is on the barrel the rods 81 are retracted from the levers 78 and said levers acting on the friction wheels 7 6 prevent the head from rising. As the beer enters the barrel it passes through the pas sages 25 of the head 15 and strikes against the blade 4:1 and runs down into the barrel, thereby washing the blade and keeping it in a sanitary condition. As the barrel becomes filled the beer enters the passage 63 and into the indicator globe 68 so that the operator may see that the barrel is filled and close the valve 46. The valve 46 may be operated by a wrench (not shown) which is adapted to lit over the squared-off end shown in Fig. 5. If the valve is not immediately closed the beer may rise in the pipes 70, 7]. and 61 to the level of the beer in the tank, when the flow will cease. The operator now shifts the valve closure 56 of the controlling valve 46 a partial turn to the right to bring the passage 58 into registration with the ports 50 and 5 1- to permit air to pass through the pipe 53 to the lower end of the cylinder, and at the same time to bring the passage 57 into registration with the ports 52 and 55 to permit exhaust from the upper end of the cylinder 34. This movement of the closure also moves the passage 59 out of register with the port 60, thereby preventing back sorted in its place.

flow through the passage 63 when the filling head is removed from the barrel. As the air enters the lower end of the cylinder 34 the piston rod 35 is raised, and when the coupling 39 is withdrawn from the aperture 1-0 the gland 42 rotates the blade d1 to bring it out of contact with the valve stem 27 and the valve 26 closes. Further upward move ment of the rod causes the bar 37 to lock in the clamps SS and then the filling head 15 is lifted clear from the barrel. and the barrel may be removed and an empty one in- Further movement of the closure 56 in the same direction brings the passage 58 into registration with the ports 5% and 55, and the passage 57 into registration with the ports 50 and 52, thereby reversing the motion of the piston and of the piston rod 85 and seating the filling head on the empty barrel, and after the head is seated further downward movement of the piston brings the blade ll into contact with the valve stem 27 and opens the valve 96, and as the coupling 39 again enters the aperture 4.0 the blade is held from rotation in operative position and the gland 42 will turn slightly if necessary, due to the curvature of the blade. After the head is seated on the barrel a quick turn of the valve closure 56 in either direction brings it back to its norreal or original position and the beer is blown from the indicator and its pipe connections into the barrel, and the air in the barrel is equalized with that in the tank 4. After the valve closure 56 has been turned to close the port 60, the beer in the indicator and its pipe connections will. be held from dripping from the passage since the ball 74: closes the top of the valve sleeve 64, thereby restricting the passage, and since no air can enter the connections above the beer.

l Vheu the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1, i3, and 3. the beer from the vat 4: will flow (l-ownwardly through pipe 30, which pipe is connected to the boss 23, said boss, as will be evident from Figs. 14. and 16. being horizontally disposed. The beer passes through said boss, thence through the passages 25 and into the passage 18. As the beer makes its exit from the mouths of passages it will strike the blade 41, and then the beer will flow along said blade, which, as shown in Fig. 1. projects for some dis tance into the inside of the barrel. Said blade, therefore, reduces or overcomes entirely the natural tendency of the beer to foam and. froth and causes the beer to pass from the pipe 30 into the barrel in a sub stantially solid stream, thus enabling the user of this invention to dispense entirely with the tube or pipe which leads from the filling-head or filling-valve of most other racking'machines to the bottom ofthe barrel. When the blade ll has been rotated posed substantially at right angles to the stream of beer entering from said pipe into said vertical passageway, said blade being partially rotatable, and a valve which is seated or unseated upon the rotation of said blade.

11. A racking machine comprising a filling head having a vertically-disposed passageway therethrough, a vat, a pipe leading from the vat and connected to said passageway, a spiral blade disposed in said passage way and extending therefrom to a point within the barrel, said spiral blade being revoluble within said passageway, and a valve adapted to be operated by the blade.

12. A racking machine comprising a filling head having a substantially vertical passageway therethrough, a vat, a pipe leading therefrom and connected to said passageway and having entrance thereinto through a substantially horizontal channel, a spiral blade within said vertical passageway extending from a point opposite said horizontal channel to a point within the barrel, said blade being revoluble Within said vertical passageway, and a valve adapted to be operated by the blade.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Wll3- nesses.

JOHN B'IIENIILEK. Witnesses:

JOSEPH SOHLENKEL, JOHN SMITH.

Copies 01' this patent may "be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). G. 

